Michigan attorney general fights for affirmative action ban

DETROIT (AP) – Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette (SHOO’-tee) says he’ll meet a Friday deadline to ask an entire appeals court to uphold the state’s ban on affirmative action in college admissions and government hiring.

Schuette said Thursday that a recent 2-1 decision that struck down the law was “nutty.” He says there’s nothing illegal about a law that prohibits discrimination.

Michigan voters in 2006 approved a constitutional amendment that bars the consideration of race, gender and ethnicity. But a panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law treats minorities unfairly.

Schuette, a Republican, will ask the court’s 15 active judges to reopen the case. A coalition that successfully sued to stop the law hopes the court says no.